1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates in general to a surgical glove, or similar protective apparel which provides a septic barrier between the user and the application, and more particularly in which the protective apparel is designed to respond to and indicate diminution in the effectiveness of the barrier.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The art is replete with gloves and similar body coverings which can provide a septic barrier between the user and the application.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,173,150, patented by R. E. Mohler on Mar. 16, 1965, discloses a glove of a laminated construction comprising open celled foam insulating material between inner and outer fabric layers to which it is in bonded connection throughout the glove to form a unitary structure. The inner layer forms a glove lining. At least the palm portion of the glove has an elastomeric water-repellant coating infused in the outer fabric layer. In order to prevent impregnation of the foam by the water-repellant elastomeric coating, the cells at the surface of the foam are collapsed.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,633,216, patented Jan. 11, 1972 by George J. Schonholtz, describes a rubber surgical glove having a finger stall constructed of an inner and an outer layer which are spaced from one another. The space between the layers is filled with any conventional indicator substance such as colored saline solution. If the cover is ruptured or pierced, the indicator will leak out through the resistant opening and contrasting color the exterior of the cover, so that a surgeon will immediately be made aware of the rupture. The indicator substance may also include a conventional antibacterial substance such as hexachlorophane.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,901,372, patented Feb. 20, 1990 by William S. Pierce, describes a surgical glove of tri-laminar construction comprising a continuous inner barrier layer, a continuous outer barrier layer, and a continuous central layer of flexible, resilient and puncture-resistant closed cell foam between the inner and outer layers. The inner and outer layers are formed of flexible, resilient, and imperforate material.
Each of the three layers help to resist needle puncture. Preferably the foam central layer is made of closed cells so that the layer forms a closed third barrier against contamination. The foam barrier closes a needle puncture path and resists subsequent contamination along the puncture path. The tri-laminar construction has an advantage over a two-layer construction in that the foam prevents spread of viral or bacterial contamination that would otherwise occur along a joined interface between two layers when a layer is punctured.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,919,966, patented by Robin R. T. Shienker on Apr. 24, 1990 discloses a covering such as a glove, condom, or sheath for the extremity of a person, comprising two layers, each layer being an array of side by side, sealed chambers, with each chamber containing a sterilizing fluid. The layers are arranged so that the chambers of one layer bridge the spaces between the chambers of the other layer, so that it is likely that accidental puncture of the covering by a needle or scalpel will open a chamber, releasing the sterilizing fluid to protect the user and application from cross infection by microbes.
In another embodiment of the '966 invention, the covering comprises a sponge-like layer of material comprising a plurality of chambers containing the sterilizing fluid. The chambers are in sufficient quantity so that accidental puncture of the covering by needle, scalpel or the like will have a high likelihood of puncturing at least one of the chambers and release the sterilizing fluid.